The rapid growth in developing countries has caused a problem with the demand of electricity. Rolling blackouts have been occurring on a regular basis. Also in most countries including developed countries, hurricanes and severe storms can knockout power-lines and cause blackout. Traffic light relies on electricity to illuminate its lamps or its displays to control the traffic in busy roads. Generally when a traffic light is non-operational, all drivers are required to stop at the intersection, take turns as if it were a four-way stop and proceed through with caution, but that does not always happen and car accidents are sadly a frequent result. Additionally, heavy fogs, snow storms and sandstorms may cause the drivers to lose the line-of-sight with traffic lights or road signs. Additionally, intersection and road way crashes cost U.S alone tens of US $ billion annually.
Costs of Conventional Traffic Systems
The National Traffic Signal Report Card: Technical Report
Developed by the National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC) used three key components to estimate the costs of traffic signal operations:
1. Appropriate traffic signal hardware
2. Routine traffic signal timing updates; and
3. Maintenance performed by well-trained technicians
Traffic signal hardware consists of several primary components: the signal heads, sensors to detect vehicular traffic, and the signal controller. Having up-to-date equipment is important to sound traffic signal operations. The signal controller should be upgraded, at a cost of approximately $10,000 each, at a minimum of every 10 years.
Routine traffic signal timing updates cost $3,000 or less per intersection. Signal timing plans should be updated every three to five years, or more frequently depending on growth and changes in traffic patterns.
Well-trained technicians are needed to maintain traffic signal hardware so that the signal system is operating in good order and according to the timing updates. A current assumption is one traffic signal technician can maintain 30-40 signals. The average costs of a technician is $56,000 per year which includes salary, benefits (approximately 30-35% of salary), vehicles, parts/supplies, and other required items.
Given the cost data above and assuming that the U.S. has 265,000 signals, the annual costs associated with signal timing can be calculated as following.
Hardware:
Each year 1/10 of the controllers are replaced
265,000/10=26,500 controllers per year
Total cost is $256 million per year Timing Updates:
Signal retiming interval is every four years
265,000/4=66,250
$3,000 per signal
Total cost is roughly $200 million per year Maintenance:
One technician maintains 30 signals
265,000/30=8,822 technicians
$56,000 per technician
Total cost is roughly $500 million per year
Grand total cost for signal timing per year across the U.S. is $965 million.
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, a modern traffic signal can cost $80,000 to $100,000 to install, depending on the complexity of the location and the characteristics of the traffic in the area.
According to the City of Woodbury, Minn. website, a complete traffic signal for a standard four-way intersection will cost around $250,000 to $300,000. Other expenses like project inspection and design can bring up the cost to almost $300,000.
Implementation Costs for Automated Red Light Camera
A red light camera (short for red light running camera) is a type of traffic enforcement camera that captures an image of a vehicle which has entered an intersection in spite of the traffic signal indicating red (during the red phase). By automatically photographing vehicles that run red lights, the photo is evidence that assists authorities in their enforcement of traffic laws. Generally the camera is triggered when a vehicle enters the intersection (passes the stop-bar) after the traffic signal has turned red. Typically, a law enforcement official will review the photographic evidence and determine whether a violation occurred. A citation is then usually mailed to the owner of the vehicle found to be in violation of the law.
Automated red light camera systems range from $67,000 to $80,000 per intersection.
Automated red light camera systems consist of fixed costs (the costs of the equipment and installation) and variable costs (the cost associated with the back office ticket processes). Overall, the cost for implementing an automated red light enforcement system depends on the geometry of the intersection, and the number lanes/approaches monitored. System costs include the cost of the camera (approximately $50,000), in-pavement inductive loop detectors ($5K per leg), and costs associated with camera housings, poles, flash slaves, and wiring ($5,000 to $8,000). The City of San Francisco, Calif. spent $80,000 per intersection which included installation of loops, wires, poles, and cameras, and the City of Jackson, Mich. spent $67,000 (1998 prices) per intersection for a system that included one wet film camera, housing, loop, pole, and installation. The variable costs are unique to each jurisdiction's ticketing process and procedures, as well as agreement between the jurisdiction and contractor processing the violations.
Traffic signal preemption (also called traffic signal prioritization) is a type of system that allows the normal operation of traffic light to be preempted. The most common use of these systems is to manipulate traffic signals in the path of an emergency vehicle, halting conflicting traffic and allowing the emergency vehicle right-of-way, to help reduce response times and enhance traffic safety. Signal preemption can also be used by light-rail and bus rapid transit systems to allow public transportation priority access through intersections, or by railroad systems at crossings to prevent collisions.
Traffic preemption devices are implemented in a variety of ways. They can be installed on road vehicles, integrated with train transportation network management systems, or operated by remote control from a fixed location, such as a fire station, or by a 9-1-1 dispatcher at an emergency call center. Traffic lights must be equipped to receive an activation signal to be controlled by any system intended for use in that area. A traffic signal not equipped to receive a traffic preemption signal will not recognize an activation, and will continue to operate in its normal cycle.
Vehicular devices can be switched on or off as needed, but in the case of emergency vehicles they are frequently integrated with the vehicle's emergency warning lights. When activated, the traffic preemption device will cause properly equipped traffic lights in the path of the vehicle to cycle immediately, to grant right-of-way in the desired direction, after allowing for normal programmed time delays for signal changes and pedestrian crosswalks to clear.
Traffic signal preemption systems integrated with train transportation networks typically extend their control of traffic from the typical cross-arms and warning lights to one or more nearby traffic intersections, to prevent excessive road traffic from approaching the crossing, while also obtaining the right-of-way for road traffic that may be in the way to quickly clear the crossing.
Fixed-location systems can vary widely, but a typical implementation is for a single traffic signal in front of or near a fire station to stop traffic and allow emergency vehicles to exit the station unimpeded. Alternatively, an entire corridor of traffic signals along a street may be operated from a fixed location, such as to allow fire apparatus to quickly respond through a crowded downtown area, or to allow an ambulance faster access when transporting a critical patient to a hospital in an area with dense traffic.
Traffic signal preemption systems sometimes include a method for communicating to the operator of the vehicle that requested the preemption (as well as other drivers) that a traffic signal is under control of a preemption device, by means of a notifier. This device is almost always an additional light located near the traffic signals. It may be a single light bulb visible to all, which flashes or stays on, or there may be a light aimed towards each direction from which traffic approaches the intersection. In the case of multiple notifier lights at a controllable intersection, they will either flash or stay on depending on the local configuration, to communicate to all drivers from which direction a preempting signal is being received. This informs regular drivers which direction may need to be cleared, and informs activating vehicle drivers if they have control of the light (especially important when more than one activating vehicle approaches the same intersection). A typical installation would provide a flashing notifier to indicate that an activating vehicle is approaching from ahead or behind, while a solid notifier would indicate the emergency vehicle is approaching laterally. There are variations of notification methods in use, which may include one or more colored lights in varying configurations.
Emergency preemption equipment was deployed at several intersections in British Columbia, Canada at a cost of $4,000 (Canadian) per intersection according to U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office.
Costs of Traffic Signs
Here are some approximate figures for sign installation costs, based on construction project bid prices in Arizona in the past few years. These prices will vary depending on quantity, location, type, etc.
On irregularly shaped signs such as Interstate markers, STOP & YIELD signs, NO PASSING ZONE pennants, sign area for payment is normally based on the largest width×the largest height.
All costs listed are for a complete sign assembly in place, including all legend, fabricating, transportation, labor, hardware, and painting of posts. Note that inflation and rapidly rising steel costs may make some of these figures quickly obsolete. Use with caution.                Sign panels:                    Regulatory/Warning/Marker: $15 to 18/sq.ft.            Large Guide Signs: $20 to 25/sq.ft.            Electronic Variable Message Sign: $50,000 to $150,000 each                        Sign Posts:                    U-Channel: $125 to $200 each            Square Tube (Tele-spar): $10 to $15 per foot            Large Steel Breakaway Posts: $15 to $30 per foot            Cantilever Sign: $15,000 to $20,000 each            Sign Bridge: $30,000 to $60,000 each                        Foundations:                    Square Tube: $150-$250 each            Breakaway Post: $250 to $750 each            Cantilever/Bridge: $6,000-$7,000 each                        
It is important to further note that if one is evaluating the replacement cost of an existing sign, one must take into account the extra labor and transportation costs involved. This is why STOP signs are considered among the most expensive signs. Due to their critical importance in intersection safety, they must be replaced as soon as is reasonably feasible—even if that means driving 300+ miles round trip at 3 AM, at $1.00 per mile for the truck, and $25-$40 per hour overtime for each sign crew-person. Taking this into account, a simple $75 STOP sign suddenly becomes a $500+ item.
Engineering costs with respect to signing are more difficult to define. If a 3 month study results in installation of only 3 signs, it may not be equitable to charge the whole engineering cost to those installations. Normally, engineering costs are treated separately, but if there is a need to take them into account, then a rule of thumb estimate is engineering cost=10% to 15% of construction cost.